


Deeper still, that night

by moonslumbers



Category: InuYasha - A Feudal Fairy Tale
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Canon-Typical Violence, Eventual Romance, F/M, Gen, Slow Burn, Swearing
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-11-08
Updated: 2021-01-05
Packaged: 2021-03-08 20:20:00
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 60
Words: 6,600
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27452617
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/moonslumbers/pseuds/moonslumbers
Summary: What is left of Kagura joins the final battle. Canon divergence from chapter 542 onwards.
Relationships: Kagura/Sesshoumaru (InuYasha)
Comments: 42
Kudos: 84





	1. Black

**Author's Note:**

> First things first.
> 
> I haven't written fanfiction in ages, but a recent rereading of Inuyasha catapulted me right back into a childhood obsession.
> 
> Chapters will be 100 words each to get me back into writing and help me figure out how ao3 works. I will update daily, though.
> 
> And while I did watch a few episodes of the anime way back when, this will solely rely on the manga. So anime-only things: didn't happen, Yashahime: didn't happen. Sorry.
> 
> Title taken from Faithless' Insomnia.
> 
> Stay safe.

  
She didn't realise at first, her awareness dulled since her death. Time flowed, and she had flown with it, only indulging her curiosity when great powers clashed. Never involved, never more than a spectator.

Then she'd watched Kanna die, and could do fuck-all to prevent it. 

Still, Naraku continued growing. 

Against all better judgement she followed his foul stench to a globe in the sky, ominous and ugly. 

Then again, Naraku's predilections had always run towards the grotesque, so it shouldn't be a surprise that that remains true even as he faces his enemies. 

She lets his darkness swallow her.


	2. Sable

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I realise I've chosen a weird format to depict an epic battle. So since I won't have the space to reiterate the entirety of the manga chapters, whatever happens that hasn't Kagura directly involved still happens as it does in the manga. If that makes sense.
> 
> On we go.

The inside is horrid, a mace of what look like intestines - which makes sense for what it is supposed to be, how unsettling it is. 

She tries to not get lost in it, wonders what Naraku wants to prove with all of it. 

But she'd never been privy to any of his plans. Had just been told what she needed to know to fight or distract his enemies for him. And even then. 

It takes her a few wrong turns to figure out that not all of this is Naraku's doing, however. Another detachment then, probably. 

She takes another turn.


	3. Spider

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The pace remains glacial ¯\\_(ツ)_/¯

To be without physical form is as equally an exercise in frustration, as it is the most liberating experience of her life. Death. Existence. 

She cannot do more than that. Exist. But the thing is. She does not have to. 

No orders, no expectations, nobody holding her leash and tugging until the collar around her neck cuts off her breathing. No chains chafing against her skin, leaving red welts that will remain for weeks after she is released from her immediate prison. 

And yet. 

She cannot feel, cannot speak. There is no joy, for all that there is no fear.


	4. Pitch

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Things will start picking up next chapter, I promise.

There are a hundred different energies at war here, it feels like, disorienting her to where she needs to go. Naraku's power and stench remain overwhelming and encompassing, threatening to crush what little of herself she has managed to hold onto. Still, the body of the spider, of him, keeps twisting and changing and turning. 

She senses a great spiritual power being released very suddenly, and her instincts have her shy away from investigating further, even if the fear of dying has become nothing more than an afterthought by now. 

She heads further into the darkness from whence she came.


	5. Onyx

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I went back and forth a bit on using the Japanese titles or their English translation, mostly because I always found the latter somewhat lacking. But then they make for easier reading, I feel like... I'm still not really certain yet, as you can tell.

It's the demon slayer she finds first, and there is probably irony in that she ignores for now. 

The other woman seems trapped in an illusion, if she were to guess and a quick look around reveals the source - the young man is as unaware of her presence as Naraku himself and she would like to keep it that way for a while longer. 

Except that the demon slayer is getting ready to sacrifice the dog demon's kid to kill the fake Naraku. 

The spider has always enjoyed pitting allies against each other, after all. 

She has to prevent that.


	6. Obsidian

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Friday the 13th. Are we superstitious? :)

She has been created and raised on despair. Bred in a jar to fulfill a mad man's bidding. Conditioned to the inescapable knowledge that nothing she did of her own free will would ever make a difference. Had suffered for it.

Had died for it.

How is this different? 

Naraku made himself the focal point of so many fates. And once again he would be the end of them. The centre of her wretched existence.

The demon slayer's despair mirrors her own, makes her remember the feeling so intimately it rends whatever is still left of her.

No.

Not again.


	7. Midnight

Within the blink of an eye she crosses the distance, the air wrenching and twisting around her, as if to help her, as if to harm her.

Her powers haven't been the same since she'd regained her heart, so she just might be making matters worse.

But then the tiny girl is in her arms, alive, warm and breathing and the demon slayer blinks up at her as if waking from a deep slumber.

Which might just be the truth.

The storm she'd inadvertently created stops, and for the first time in too long she draws air into her lungs.


	8. Ink

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Have another chapter, mostly because I'm dead tired, but can't sleep... :(

The illusion disintegrates, the image of Naraku folding in on himself leaving behind a bittersweet feeling in her heart.

She will witness his downfall and this is only the prelude of what will ultimately be the most satisfying event of her existence. 

After this she will truly be free.

She just has to make it that far, and although past experience have taught her that nothing happens just because she wills it, she is damned determined to drag him to hell herself if need be.

The silence that descends now seems almost too foreboding of the events to come.

"Kagura."


	9. Metal

The latest of Naraku's incarnations looks at her with a creepy grin, but it'd been the dog demon who had said her name.

She gives her audience a sweeping glance, realising that even Kohaku is present to show his incredulity at her perceived resurrection, along with his sister who only now begins to drop her weapon. It is not the time for heartfelt reunions, however.

"You are not one of my illusions", the incarnation says and she snorts.

"Don't insult me."

She moves to pass the girl off to Kohaku, but in an instant Sesshoumaru is in front of her.


	10. Charcoal

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> 200 words this time just because I want to. I think I will keep up with this for every tenth chapter, to give me a bit of space to get the story moving.
> 
> Also, OTP.
> 
> Thanks for reading.

His left hand moves to grab her jaw, not gently, and tilt her face up to him. It's a sort of glee she feels at the dangerous glare he directs at her.

So like the feral thing she is, she bares her teeth at him in a grin. For a moment his sharp eyes continue to search hers, his claws pressing against the pulse in her throat. The silence hangs like a blade over her, but she is not afraid. 

After a moment he nods and takes a step back.

"I will not be able to maintain this form for long", she tells him because it is the truth. The question of how she managed to take on a body and make it look like her own in the first place will have to be answered at some point. But for now Sesshoumaru seems to be satisfied with his investigation. 

Unfortunately, his pragmatism does not immediately transfer to any of the others present. Both shocked and suspicious, the demon slayer and her brother stare at her as if the slightest movement will either provoke her or have her disappear again to wherever she came from.

The incarnation seems only amused.


	11. Iron

She tucks the girl more securely into her body, her weight searingly hot against her, uncomfortably so. Notices, dismally, the detachment approaching.

"Ah, esteemed elder sister then, yes?", he says, brightly, as if they are anything to each other. It bothers her, this claim to kinship even if it is probably closer to the truth than a lie. But she'd always chafed against whatever familial ties Naraku tried to force upon them, for how little they meant, how much he twisted them.

Before she can snarl a reply, however, Sesshoumaru has moved and launched an attack.

She leaves it be.


	12. Shadow

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm gonna be honest, I kept checking back with the manga the entire time I was writing all of these. Does it still even make sense without the manga on hand? I don't know. 
> 
> Well.
> 
> As always, thank you for reading.

This time she manages to hand Rin over to Kohaku, rends the barrier between them with a force she can barely control for the lack of her fan. Avoids the boy's wide wavering eyes in favour of getting them moving.

But then, the entire structure of Naraku's body shakes like an earthquake, and she only sees the detachment's left arm severing because she is already looking at him. And by the residual feeling of spiritual power that manifests, as faint as it is, it's clearly not been Sesshoumaru inflicting that particular wound.

The shaking stops and the spider settles again.


	13. Pebble

"What's going on?", the demon slayer yells, and she considers it a fair question. Is this incarnation so tied to his creator that he suffers his wounds? It's the only explanation she can come up with on the spot, even if it seems a dumb decision for both parties involved.

Maybe there is yet another force at work they do not know about.

Seemingly finished with his business the detachment gracelessly bows out of their confrontation, and she finds herself a little surprised that Sesshoumaru lets him.

It is of little consequence, though, as they cannot afford to idle either.


	14. Anchor

This isn't the time, nor the place, and she contemplates whacking her when the demon slayer wavers.

"I would have ...", the woman mutters, her face turned towards Rin, but her eyes unfocused.

Kohaku is about to make an encouraging speech, she is sure. Sentimental fools, the lot of them. But again. Not the time.

"Great", she interrupts, feeling Sesshoumaru watch the proceedings with growing agitation, "I can promise you, taking a boomerang to the face would have been a blessing for what Naraku would have had in store for her."

The slayer turns to her at that, her eyes narrowed.


	15. Lead

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm a bit late today, sorry.

"Is that supposed to make me feel better?", the slayer snaps.

"No, it's supposed to get you moving. You can wallow in your guilt all you want once this is done."

The other woman's glare intensifies, but then she nods, once, sharp.

Before they make a move either way, a ray of light slices through what constitutes the ceiling and without a word Sesshoumaru turns to follow it. And without question the demon slayer and her brother turn to follow _him_.

She isn't interested in following however, so instead she heads the opposite direction.

The detachment cannot have gone far.


	16. Slate

She must be going in circles, because when the sense of a growing black void starts pressing in on her, she is sure she is hot on the dog demon's heels again. Not so, though.

Instead she finds the fox kit. And finds him arguing, rather one-sidedly, with the person she had been looking for.

Who is brandishing a sword holding a power so clearly not his own.

"There is nothing for you here", the detachment tells her, "you should have let yourself rest in peace."

"What's there for you then?", she wonders, "Being united in death with your master?"


	17. Smoke

"You were an excellent bad example", he says, "made everything I did seem tame in comparison."

It seems laughable to consider what Naraku had to say about her after he murdered her, but it is fitting for his character to use even that to gain an advantage.

"Not quite in league with him yourself then, huh?"

"Does it matter? We will die here anyway."

She snarls at his flippancy, drops her arm to bring down a storm on his head he barely evades.

"I do not want to fight you."

Well shit, she thinks, because she is spoiling for it.


	18. Grey

The sudden piercing shriek of a dying animal threatens to split her ear drums, and the body of the spider shudders in what has to be waves upon waves of destruction.

In her destraction the detachment vanishes again. 

And apparently she has volunteered herself to be the guardian of the children if the way the fox kit looks up at her is any indication.

"C'mon then", she mutters, choosing to ignore the way he is brimming with questions.

"I don't know where the others are", he says.

She tilts her head towards Naraku's steadily inflating presence.

"I have an idea."


	19. Fossil

They pick up both the demon slayer's cat and weapon on the way, and very narrowly manage to keep her and the monk from plummeting to their death. 

The destruction continues around them, and while Naraku's power seems to fluctuate between overwhelming force and almost flickering out, her own seems barely enough to keep the fox kit's weird balloon form, and the humans on it, moving forward.

She realises how close they are, and the anticipation of witnessing Naraku's imminent ruin is almost enough to cancel out the fear of being in his clutches again.

This will be the end.


	20. Cloud

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> 200 words again! ᕦ(ò_óˇ)
> 
> Thank you for continuously checking in.

With another child safely returned, she risks splitting away from the group again to search out the last incarnation, feeling that he needs to be dealt with before he can fulfill whatever purpose Naraku has bestowed upon him.

"Are you going to attack me again?" He poses the question almost in wonder, and it makes her still for a moment.

She is going to kill him, she is fairly certain. But she is not without compassion, not while knowing intimately what his life has been like.

Her eyes drift towards the blade.

"That power is not yours", she tells him.

"No", he agrees, "it's a power stolen by the father, perfected by the elder brother, and reluctantly handed over to the younger one. Very complicated family history these dogs have."

Ah, she thinks, that must have been why she had first associated this black void with Sesshoumaru - she had probably even been present for the battle that ensued over it, but gave it no further note.

"Much like our own, no?"

His words land like a punch to her gut, claw at her heart. "Is that what he had you believe?", she spits, acidly, "that he considers us his family?"


	21. Bone

Despite the noise and destruction around him, he remains unruffled, there are cracks in his skin, yet he moves as if nothing could ever come close to harming him.

"At least there is purpose", he shrugs, taking up the sword and making to move again.

She hits him with a wind blade. "That is not enough!", she screams over her own attack, "What purpose? Your own? One he deemed worthy? Or will you die a coward's puppet?"

His eyes bulge at her, and she tosses another wind blade for his audacity.

"Fuck you for squandering your only chance at freedom!"


	22. Linen

"I have seen what good rebelling does", he retorts, a little testily, but does nothing to counterattack, "your death held so little meaning, it might as well not have happened."

"And yet, here I am."

He narrows his eyes at her at that, the sword seemingly forgotten again at his side. "How are you here, anyway?"

She will sever his head from his body before she admits to any lack of knowledge regarding the circumstances of her continued existence. Instead, she gives him a cheeky grin, and a third wind blade for his trouble 

This time, at least, he dodges.


	23. Parchment

Their battle is boring and one-sided, since he apparently does not really want to engage, after all, and despite her misgivings and earlier notion that this is not the place for sentimental garbage, she has qualms about just killing him off.

Which she could. Easily.

So easily, in fact, that it worries her.

She is not attuned to her element anymore, not as she had been, and he earns a slash down his torso for her distraction, blood spurting like a fountain.

He grins at her and takes her moment of doubt to flee again.

Leaves her looking at Kanna.


	24. Salt

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> You know, for a fic tagged Sesskagu there is suspiciously little Sess to be found here. That is going to change. We only have a few more chapters to go on what I guess is the first arc of this story, and once that's done we'll have Sesshoumaru 24/7. Promise.
> 
> Thanks for reading.

It's almost insulting how easily he thinks to fool her, but looking at the girl now, the illusion of her tears at something buried deep inside her. 

Neither of them says anything, and she is not so self-deprecating as to prostate herself in front of a mere copy for something she had no way of changing.

So she shatters the illusion, setting her immediate surroundings tumbling in their entirety. Traps herself within them for a few moments before she manages to reorient herself.

Maybe it's better this way, to have no trace left of Naraku after all this is over.


	25. Lace

She moves through the eery structure alone again, for a while. Sees the destruction being wrecked with a pounding heart.

When she finds Ah-Un escorting the children and Sesshoumaru's toad out, she tries to grant them safe passage for as long as she can. Guardian of the children and all. Still, she keeps her distance for fear of setting the beak-faced underling off on one of his rants.

After they have cleared the ever-descending structure she sets into a run, the wind buoying her up and into the darkness.

This time she follows the ray of light piercing through it.


	26. Rice

"My daughter has returned to me", Naraku's voice thunders through her, the instant she finds him.

He doesn't look like himself anymore, whatever has happened, he is twisted beyond recognition.

Paralyzed with dread, yet she can't help but snort in disdain. "Shit, don't make me laugh."

The hanyou and his miko take a second to stare at her in disbelief, but accept her presence almost instantly.

"Your insolence has always been your downfall, Kagura."

"Nah, that has been your sadistic pleasure at other's torment", she disagrees, turns towards the hanyou, "what happened to the other one?"

"Dead", is the answer.


	27. Cotton

It's just as well, after all. There is no way of saving someone who does not want be saved. And she is not so much of a bleeding heart that she will shed a tear over his demise.

And both his and her tormentor is on the brink of collapse, she can feel it in her bones. Both Tessaiga's and Bakusaiga's attacks chipping away at him, the humans offering their not unsubstantial powers without hesitance.

And yet.

It's not enough.

So with nothing left to lose, once again, she hurls herself forwards. Becomes the very storm that will trap him.


	28. Powder

"You remain as foolish as ever, Kagura", he jeers, all while his body continues to disintegrate around them.

For what, she wonders again. What does any of this gain him? He has the damn jewel, and has done nothing with it until the situation became dire enough. Continues to toss out petty insults to the others as if his perceived superiority meant a thing to anyone but him. 

Maybe she is the fool, in the end. But even so.

"Only one of us continues to cry over getting rejected by a woman, and that bitch sure as hell ain't me."


	29. Snow

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Penultimate chapter for this arc!  
>  (ﾉ◕ヮ◕)ﾉ*:･ﾟ✧

It gets more difficult to keep him contained within her storm, and she only vaguely concerns herself with the others' realisation of how he is about to sacrifice a village. 

"You assume I have such mortal concerns?", Naraku snaps, his affront almost pulling another laugh from her.

"And not just her", she screams into his face, "even your own heart conspired against you!"

She is dimly aware of the others pulling back, of Naraku's energy becoming even more oppressive, to the point breathing becomes difficult, even for her. 

Or it would be if she'd still have a need to breathe.


	30. White

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So this is it for the final battle. I hope you enjoyed it so far.

"This will end your life just as much as mine."

It's the truth, probably, and while she really doesn't want it to, she is unsure how to get out of this situation now that she has come this far.

She seems to have to get used to accepting the inevitable.

"So what?", she yells, "I'll be your personal escort to hell, and there I will have the rest of eternity to watch you suffer in agony and despair. Compensation for all the fucked up shit you pulled."

She would rather have continued her semi-existence as a gust of wind following whatever took her fancy, all things being equal. But she won't risk the most miniscule of changes that even one part of Naraku will come out of this alive. 

"You will be bound to me again then, Kagura. Fitting, as you have always been the most agreeable wearing your iron chains."

She lets herself explode in rage.

Feels the arrow piercing her in the very same instant, and despite the overwhelming pain it brings, she holds herself still long enough for it to find its intended target.

Her lack of eyes doesn't save her from being blinded by the light.


	31. Pine

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So this is where the actual story starts, I guess. We're going to move away from the manga (finally!) to explore one of the many couldhavebeens. 
> 
> Thanks for reading! (｡>﹏<｡)

In the dust that settles around him in the immediate aftermath of the battle, Sesshoumaru finds himself bothered by the fact that the only hints to there having been a fight at all are scorch marks spanning entire acres, and one somewhat devastated human settlement.

The main parts of Naraku's monstrous body have completely disintegrated, only some charred remains strewn about in all directions, plumes of smoke rising from them. And even though the air is still heavy with his stench, that too will be gone before the day is out.

He cannot pick up the scent of her anywhere.


	32. Seaweed

The day eases into night, and the humans rejoice at an evil vanquished. And even though the battle destroyed the entirety of their crop, burned down their houses to the foundations, the collective threat against them seemingly enforced their sense of community. 

Almost solemnly they pick up the pieces and begin the slow process of rebuilding.

Resilient, for how fragile they are.

His brother doesn't return from the meidou, and neither does the miko. 

None of these things are of interest to him, however.

It's Rin who sincerely offers help anywhere her small hands might be needed.

So he stays.


	33. Juniper

It isn't until the third day that he feels a shift in the air, and suddenly his half-brother is back. More sullen than he ever remembers him being, as he climbs out of the well that reappeared with him in a pillar of light, his human companions immediately fussing over him.

The strong gust of wind does not instantly alert Sesshoumaru, but then her scent hits his nose and with an eagerness almost foreign to him, he turns to watch her step from a small cyclone.

Kagura seems to need a moment to adjust, then she rounds on the hanyou.


	34. Moss

"What are your big, dumb, stupid ears for", she yells, shoving at the hanyou's chest to punctuate her words, "If you never even listen!"

Clearly confused Inuyasha tries to get away from her, dodges before she can get another shove in, jumps to land on a tree branch a distance off. "What?", he barks, "Where the hell did you even come from?"

"Oh, I don't know! Maybe I was with you the entire time, trying to get you to your precious girl before we all died of old age! We could have been out of that hellhole a lifetime ago!"


	35. Crocodile

Inuyasha freezes, his eyes widened in disbelief. "What are you yapping about? I didn't hear anything and I sure as hell didn't see you anywhere."

"No, you probably just magically knew where to go, right? Your sword told you where to strike? The jewel itself cordially invited you?"

The hanyou falters a little at that, ears lying flat against his hair. "I don't know what -"

"Ugh, whatever", she interrupts him, huffing disdainfully, and then turns to walk towards Sesshoumaru.

"I will not murder your brother", she informs him, drawing close, but not uncomfortably so.

He inclines his head in acknowledgement.


	36. Sage

As he looks upon her now she appears ... well, almost. Not like before, when she held Rin, or even before that when she was bleeding out from the wounds she had suffered at Naraku's hands. There is no desperate frenzy to her, no obvious resentment turned to quiet resignation.

She is alive. By whatever means.

"Ah, Kagura", the monk says into the sudden silence, and Sesshoumaru turns his gaze away from her to eye his brother's companions.

"It is very good to see you again", the monk offers, and even seems sincere.

Kagura huffs out a laugh. "Thanks, I guess."


	37. Pear

No longer scared for his life Inuyasha climbs down from the tree, so he and his entourage can take a moment to update each other on what they deem relevant information.

With barely having escaped death, and one of them returned to her own world permanently, apparently, the group seems unable to agree on how to move forward now.

"I can't control my powers any longer", Kagura says, equally unconcerned with their problems, but her eyes still on the humans, "I overshot trying to fight off ... one of the illusions back there. Brought the entire ceiling down on my head."


	38. Fern

He watches her for a long moment, his eyes narrowed. 

"Why are you telling me this?"

She meets his gaze steadily. "Because if this turns out to be one of Naraku's last ditch attempts at remaining in this world through me, you are the only one I trust to strike me down without hesitation."

Her scent is completely her own for the first time in their entire acquaintance, and while circumstances seem suspect at best, he is certain she is her own person, moreso than ever before.

The clench of her jaw tells him she thinks differently.

So he accedes.


	39. Mint

If nothing else, he can grant her a kinder death, should it ever come to that, will make it swift and painless as to not make her suffer needlessly.

Despite her reluctance to just staying dead.

He wonders at her continued existence, even if he is not adverse to it, finds having her scent here again and free of the spider's influence distinctly pleasing.

If she wants him to know he will learn in due time.

Until then other matters demand his attention.

One of them is currently racing towards them with a grin stretching her face.

"Sesshoumaru-sama!", Rin yells.


	40. Green

Seemingly less inhibited with Kagura than she is with him, Rin tucks at one of the woman's sleeves until she has her undivided attention. Sesshoumaru expects her to bristle at the girl's forwardness, but other than a slight show of surprise and a raised eyebrow Kagura lets Rin do as she pleases. 

"Thank you for saving me", the girl says brightly, "Kohaku told me all about it."

Kagura blinks a few times, tries tucking the garment from childish hands without just ripping it away.

"Well, the way I see it I still owed you?", Kagura offers after a moment, then gives up on freeing herself, pets the hand holding on to her a few times instead.

Rin tilts her head in confusion. Finally lets go of the woman, but keeps watching her curiously.

"I know it was you who wanted to pull me from that river" Kagura explains, amused, then flicks a hand in his direction, "he probably just helped because you weren't strong enough."

Rin beams at that, gleeful.

"What river?", Inuyasha asks, before Rin can say anything in response, and this time Kagura does bristle. A fascinating thing to watch, certainly.

"None of your damn business", she snaps.


	41. Emerald

"Keh", Inuyasha barks back, "Like I care, anyway."

Kagura tilts her chin up at him in challenge, cocky despite her earlier words of a strenuous hold on her own powers. Inuyasha deflates instantly, however, leaving Kagura's obvious provocation unanswered.

"We're going to head back to the village", he says, mulishly, as if the words are being forced from him, "you guys coming?"

Instantly, Kagura's anger seems to dissipate as well, instead she takes a moment to look around, as if becoming aware for the first time of where she actually is. Sesshoumaru watches her fold her arms into her sleeves.


	42. Basil

"No", Kagura says, her disposition turned somber now, "There is something I want to check first."

Nobody moves to stop her as she turns to head deeper into the forest, walking in even, measured steps, and Sesshoumaru wonders if her powers have declined so much that she won't even dare taking to the sky anymore.

It is of no consequence for him to determine her state of being, but after having failed to intervene on her behalf at any time before Naraku attempted to kill her, he can at least observe now.

After a moment Sesshoumaru starts moving as well.


	43. Pickle

She is aware of his presence, of that he has no doubt, but does nothing to indicate how she feels about it.

He finds himself oddly curious to see what it is that she wants to check. 

When they have moved far enough into the forest that not even he can hear the hanyou's group any longer, she pauses and gives him an assessing look over her shoulder.

"Might as well", she mutters and shrugs out of all the layers of her kimono, letting the different fabrics pool around her waist.

He gazes at the bare curve of her back.


	44. Shamrock

"Is it still there?", she asks and it takes a moment for him to realise what she is saying.

The scar.

It is. Maring the skin across the expanse of her shoulder blades, denoting her origins as clearly as if Naraku had carved his name into her.

More than that, however, he can see the three circular shapes contorting the spider on her back. He does not know about the confrontation with Naraku that ultimately led to her demise, but from the remaining scars he can tell she'd been speared.

Irrationally, it reignites the same anger that cost him Tokijin.


	45. Parakeet

He hears her sigh. "It is, isn't it?"

"Yes."

Without another word she rights her clothing again, only turns to him when all that remains visible of her torso is the base of her throat.

"It does not mean he still has a hold on you", Sesshoumaru states.

Her mouth curls up into a smile. "How unexpectedly optimistic of you", she replies, the smile sliding off her face again, "I think it would have been more upsetting were it gone, honestly. This way, at least, I know for certain that it is my body. For however much that is worth."


	46. Seafoam

He is inclined to agree - not as reassurance because that would mean as little to her as it would to him. But it is a logical conclusion to consider anyone else having rebuild her body instead would have either not known of its blemishes, or would have simply been too vain to replicate them.

"What happened to the last incarnation?", she asks, suddenly, her eyes on him again.

"He was swallowed by the meidou."

"What about the others then?"

He wonders, for a moment, if they ever encountered all of Naraku's creatures. What else might he have had hidden away?


	47. Olive

"Those we encountered were slain."

She tucks her arms into her sleeves again, tilts her head up to look at the sky.

"I would have thought there would be a lot more to it, outliving Naraku", she muses, "Bit disappointing, being the last one remaining."

"You have your freedom."

Slowly she takes the feather from her hair, turns it between her fingers a few times before finally dropping it. It falls in slow meandering circles to the ground.

He watches her watch its progress, and in doing so learns all he needs to know about the state of her powers.


	48. Chartreuse

"What happened to your fan?", he asks, knowing it wouldn't drastically change her current condition if she still had it.

"Dunno", she shrugs, "How I managed to conjure clothes is beyond me too."

She puts the feather back into its place.

"I'm not sure how much it matters, though", she continues, "It was a nice piece, but ultimately it's always just been an expedient to direct or amplify my attacks. Could stab someone with it, if things were dire enough."

She tucks at her obi, keeps her hands busy, and Sesshoumaru realises that despite her words, she misses her weapon.


	49. Lime

The idea starts forming in his head, and not prone to second-guessing himself, he extends it to her.

"There is a weapon smith I will take you to."

She gives him a grin. "Oh, will you?"

He nods, trying to determine the fastest route, without having to redouble to get Ah-Un, or force her to admit out loud that she cannot fly any longer.

"I'm not sure I need a weapon smith to get another fan, though."

"No, not for an ordinary one."

Her grin widens a bit, but she doesn't argue any further.

"Lead the way, then", she says.


	50. Pistachio

Their journey is neither difficult, nor long, still Sesshoumaru is surprised at the calm his companion displays throughout it. Then again, he has only ever known her when she was desperate to change a losing game.

So while she has clearly retained all of her cheek, and a lot of her brash nature, she doesn't seem to mind the walking, or the terrain, or the weather even. Does not mutter a word of complaint.

She never tries to engage him in conversation, seems content with his lasting silences. Or, if she is not, does nothing to show her discontent. 

He easily grants her the accomodation of letting her set their pace - not a difficult feat, given that they are still moving faster than when he is traveling with Rin.

They only stop when she keeps getting distracted by the sound of rabbits in the underbrush.

"You mind if I catch one real quick?", she asks, scanning their surroundings.

He doesn't, watches her dip away and return only a few minutes later - not carrying a dead rabbit at all, however.

Instead she has got the hanyou's fire cat by the scruff of its neck, and a contrite Kohaku at her side.


	51. Hazelnut

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Kohaku joins our group! For a bit, at least.

"Look what I found", she says with a grin.

For a fleeting moment Sesshoumaru wonders whether the boy's abilities have improved so dramatically in a relatively short amount of time, or if it is his own distraction that kept him from noticing their presence.

Neither option seems palatable so he dismisses that train of thought in its entirety.

"We weren't following you", Kohaku explains, wringing his hands, "we were trying to catch up."

"That why you were hiding in a bush?", Kagura inquires, her good humour doing nothing to ease the boy's obvious tension.

He keeps staring at her silently.


	52. Fawn

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> There's gonna be some sort of action at one point in this thing, maybe... Until then, enjoy a lot more talking about stuff!!

"Inuyasha said you were angry and I was trying to figure out what to say to you", Kohaku finally manages to stammer.

Kagura's mood drops within an instant. "Then Inuyasha should learn to keep his big, stupid mouth shut about things he doesn't understand."

Kohaku blinks up at her, darts a glance at Sesshoumaru, then looks back to Kagura. "You are not angry with me?"

"What?"

"You died because of me."

Kagura tilts her head in confusion. "I seem to remember that differently. I feel like Naraku was involved in that mess a lot more, and you a lot less."


	53. Sand

The frown on Kohaku's face deepens, but he seems resolved. "He killed you because you saved me."

"He killed me because I had outlived my usefulness."

"But-"

"Look, kid", Kagura sighs, puts a hand down on the boy's slumped shoulder, "I could have sliced you into pieces and brought your remains before him and he still would have gotten rid of me."

"But you might have come up with another plan-"

"The one good deed I ever did, and here you are trying to ruin that for me."

"I'm not!", Kohaku protests, but deflates instantly, "I just wanted to apologise."


	54. Oat

Sesshoumaru cannot say how this argument is supposed to make a difference now, after everything is over and done with, but then he watches Kagura lose the teasing edge of her humour, and her hand on the boy's shoulder seems more steadying than it was before.

"Naraku was an asshole, and now he's dead, while you and I live. So let's just leave it at that, kid, yeah?"

Kohaku needs a moment to mull her words over. Then a small smile pulls at his mouth.

"I did bring onigiri, though."

Kagura grins again.

"I will kindly accept your apology then."


	55. Tan

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So last day of the year. And it feels like the entire month of December just drove home what an awful year 2020 was... sigh
> 
> Well here's hoping 2021 will be better for all of us. 
> 
> Stay healthy, stay safe, best of wishes from me

Sesshoumaru declines the offer of sharing their meal, but settles to wait until they are finished.

There is no need to rush them now, after all.

Kohaku kneels down in the grass, Kagura beside him, and he unfolds the cloth holding the onigiri between them.

The fire cat watches the proceedings curiously, but keeps to Kohaku's side.

"You traveled with the dead miko for a while, didn't you?" she asks suddenly, and Kohaku almost drops the food in suprise.

"Yes, how did you know?", he replies, glancing at Sesshoumaru again as if looking for confirmation.

Sesshoumaru meets his gaze evenly.


	56. Oyster

"Oh, don't look at him", Kagura tells Kohaku, picks up one of the onigiri and starts eating, "He and I are not in the habit of gossiping about you. Not _all_ the time anyway."

Kohaku fiddles with the cloth for a moment. "How do you know then?"

Kagura chews thoughtfully. "Y'know, I'm not entirely sure about that", she says, "I think... I followed you for a while. Maybe?"

Kohaku's eyes widen. "You were there with us?"

"Yes. No. Maybe? It's not a real memory. Or not what my other memories feel like from before Naraku killed me."

"Explain", Sesshoumaru says.


	57. Beige

Her eyebrows are drawn as she looks at Sesshoumaru now. He lets her take her time to formulate a response.

"Everything felt muted", she starts, haltingly, focused inwards, "like I was watching a shadow play. And sometimes I would recognise a person, or a place, or something, but it never seemed like it meant anything. So I kept moving on. 

I saw all of you, I think, followed complete strangers because they reminded me of something I couldn't place."

Her eyes meet his again.

"And then, once" she tells him, "you got so angry I felt it like an earthquake."


	58. Buttermilk

"Not like your youki is anything to sneer at at the best of days", she jokes, flicking lint from her sleeve, "but that was overwhelming. I actively avoided you after that, because I was unsure that the way I was I would survive an encounter with that sort of rage."

"When did it happen?", he finds himself asking, even if the times he let his composure slip like that were so few he could probably make an educated guess.

Kagura shrugs.

"I'm a bit fuzzy on the timeline, sorry", she says, "how much time has passed since my death, anyway?"


	59. Shortbread

"A little over five months", Kohaku tells her, and, as she seems reluctant to follow this line of inquiry further, is content to let her eat in peace, eats in silence himself.

Sesshoumaru has not spend any amount of time studying what happens to souls once they shed their earthly restraints, and he estimates that even if he had, Kagura's would still remain a special case.

Still, it's intriguing, and if there are answers to be had, he will find them. 

"And you wonder why I remain suspicious", she mutters, more to herself, and attacks her food with renewed vigour.


	60. Sepia

"Where are you headed?", Kohaku inquires after a short while, handing Kagura seconds and thirds before she even thinks to ask.

"We are getting me a new fan", she answers, still more focused on her food, and her own thoughts.

But Kohaku's eyebrows snap up as he turns to Sesshoumaru in surprise.

"You're going to visit Totosai, then?", he wonders, and not seeing any harm in it, Sesshoumaru nods. 

For whatever reason, it seems to raise the boy's spirits.

"That's really great", he enthuses, garnering Kagura's attention, "Totosai will make you a great fan!"

A smile works its way onto her face again, and she tousles Kohaku's hair playfully.

"Naturally", she says, "for we are not given to half-measures."

It's only by Kohaku's panicky side glance at him that Sesshoumaru realises her words were supposed to be a joke at his expense, but Kagura isn't even looking at him to meet his glare.

Kohaku coughs. "Anyway", he says, awkwardly, "for what it's worth I'm really glad that you are back."

Kagura bumps her shoulder against his. "Me too, kid, me too."

Kohaku strokes the back of the fire cat. "We could take you the rest of the way", he offers.


End file.
